Traditional, new autumn events brewing for Falls

Members of the German-American Musicians Association perform at last year's Oktoberfest on Old Falls Street. (Photo courtesy of Old Falls Street, USA.)

Both traditional and new events
are popping up all over Western New York now that the autumn season has
arrived.

Next weekend, areas in and around
Old Falls Street will be bustling with activity.

Old Falls Street's Oktoberfest

For an authentic autumn
experience, visitors can take part in the seventh annual Oktoberfest on Old Falls
Street, which will take place from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1.

"Old Falls Street looks forward to
hosting this marquee fall event in downtown Niagara Falls," said Spectra's
Jason Murgia, general manager of Old Falls Street, USA. "With free admission, live
entertainment and children's activities, you certainly do not have to be German
to enjoy our annual Oktoberfest."

Oktoberfest will offer up German
fare, music and brews, along with more attractions.

"We have so many interactive games
that will be open for everybody that day," Old Falls Street Marketing Director
Susan Swiatkowski said. "And new this year we're actually going to (provide),
for children, a straw maze that they can run through and try to navigate
through."

Some of the featured games and activities
include a Lego board, table tennis, foosball, large-scale chess and checkers,
hopscotch and corn hole.

The activities will be
concentrated at Old Falls Street's middle block, across from the Niagara Falls
Culinary Institute.

There is also a new attraction to
be offered for adults this year. An inflatable, old-world-style pub that spans
70 square feet and extends 27 feet tall will be on site, featuring a lounge
area and bar.

"We're actually going to be able
to serve people within the space, as well," Swiatkowski said.

Offered will be classic German
fare, including bratwurst on a bun, rouladen, German potato salad, hot pretzels
and other traditional sides - not to mention a variety of German beers and
wines and Oktoberfest brews.

Returning highlights include the
traditional tapping of the kegs and performances by the German American Musicians.

"We really enjoy bringing (the
German-American Musicians Association) back year after year," Swiatkowski said.
"Whether you're German or not ... everybody wants to 'oompah' that day. So they
really get you in the mood and it's a lot of fun."

For more information, visit www.FallsStreet.com or follow Old Falls
Street on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

City of Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster speaks at last
year's Oktoberfest on Old Falls Street.

Boots,
Brews & Bacon

Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino
and Balabans LLC, organizer of The Niagara Falls Music & Arts Festival, are
partnering to host the new Boots, Brews & Bacon Festival, set to debut
Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in Seneca Square at Third and Old Falls streets in Niagara
Falls.

"We wanted to add another event
and we were trying to think of what wasn't done here, and we thought about
country music."

The festival is free and open to
the public and billed as a celebration of country and southern rock partnered
with a variety of food, retail vendors, and an auto show among other activities
and attractions.

The festival will feature country,
southern rock and blues bands that perform nationally and locally.

"We've got the best country bands
from Buffalo and the local area, so the music is going to be phenomenal. It's
going to be great," Crogan said.

Some of the featured local bands
include The Heavenly Chillbillies, The Hootz and J.B. Aaron, who Crogan
described as a "Local country singer who is just about to make it big in Nashville."
Aaron will serve as the master of ceremonies for the event and will be
Saturday's headliner.

"He's a local boy done good,"
Crogan said. "He's very talented."

Besides music, the event will also
feature a barbecue contest including barbecue food trucks and other vendors
competing for a grand prize of $250 cash, a free booth in next year's festival
and first-place ribbon bragging rights. Categories for the competition include
best barbecue sauce, best pulled pork, best ribs, and best barbecued chicken
sandwich, and, of course, best bacon dish.

Crogan said there's always room
for more vendors, for those who are thinking of jumping on the Boot, Brews and
Bacon bandwagon.

The invitation to get involved is
also open to representatives of local nonprofits that would like to set up
booths and give out their information or raise money for their organization,
Crogan said.

"Community organizations can reach
out to us," he said. "We encourage it, because we want people to know what's
available to the community. Because that's what these two festivals (The
Niagara Falls Music & Art Festival and Brews, Boots & Bacon) are really
based on - to help grow our city, create a better environment for our community
and our neighborhood. So the more knowledge people get, the better off everyone
is."